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A French court has lifted the travel ban imposed on Pavel Durov, the founder and chief executive of the messaging platform Telegram, more than a year after his dramatic arrest at a Paris airport.
The 41-year-old tech executive is no longer required to remain in French territory while facing prosecution on 12 criminal charges related to illegal content on his platform, according to a judicial source cited in French media reports. Durov has fully complied with all court-ordered conditions during the past year of judicial supervision.
The complete lifting of travel restrictions marks the latest development in a high-profile case that has drawn international attention to questions of platform liability and encryption technology.
French authorities detained Durov on Aug. 24, 2024, when he stepped off his private jet at Le Bourget Airport in Paris. Prosecutors alleged that Telegram provided access to illegal content, leading to charges against the platform's founder.
After 96 hours in custody, a judge released Durov on Aug. 28, 2024, under judicial supervision with 5 million euros in bail. The initial conditions included a strict prohibition on leaving France and requirements to regularly report to authorities while awaiting trial.
The court modified Durov's supervision terms in June, allowing him to return to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, where he resides, provided he returned to France every 14 days. The Russian-born entrepreneur, who also holds French and UAE citizenship, maintained this schedule until the complete removal of travel restrictions.
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Telegram, founded by Durov and his brother in 2013, operates as an encrypted messaging service with approximately 900 million users worldwide. The platform has faced scrutiny from multiple governments over its content moderation policies and its use by criminal organizations, though it has also been praised by privacy advocates and used by activists in authoritarian countries.
The French prosecution represents one of the most significant legal challenges against a major social media executive for content posted by users on their platform. Durov continues to face trial on the 12 charges while no longer subject to travel limitations.
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